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New York Voices

Biography

New York Voices (NYV) is the Grammy Award-winning vocal ensemble renowned for their excellence in jazz and the art of group singing. In 2013, they will be celebrating their incredible 25-year-long career.

The group was formed in 1987 by Darmon Meader, Peter Eldridge, Kim Nazarian, Caprice Fox, and Sara Krieger. In 1989, they signed with GRP Records and release their self-titled debut album, New York Voices. The group received rave notices and quickly received domestic and international recognition in the jazz world. From '89 to '94, they released four CDs on the GRP Label: New York Voices, Hearts of Fire, What's Inside, and The Collection. In 1992, Sara Krieger retired her chair and, after auditioning more than 60 vocalists, the group found Lauren Kinhan. There was an immediate chemistry, allowing the group to become the "new" New York Voices. Lauren's first musical contributions can be heard on What's Inside. In 1994, Caprice Fox left the group, forever fixing NYV as the quartet it is today.

Besides their own CDs, NYV has made many guest appearances on recordings and live performances that have earned them critical acclaim. You can find their performances on such CDs as the Grammy Award-winning Count Basie Orchestra with New York Voices; Live at Manchester Craftsmen's Guild (MCG Records); the Latin Grammy Award-winning Brazilian Dreams with the great Paquito D'Rivera; the contemporary classical Visions Within (Robert Lepley - EarthBeat Records); Heirs to Jobim (BMG Records); Don Sebesky's I Remember Bill (BMG); Jim Hall's By Arrangement (Telarc); A Love Affair - the Music of Ivan Lins (TELARC); Irving Berlin's Louisiana Purchase (DRG); and many more. They have performed with a number of influential jazz artists, including Ray Brown, Bobby McFerrin, Nancy Wilson, George Benson, Jon Hendricks, Annie Ross, and Ivan Lins.

In early 1997, NYV paid tribute to a contemporary composer with New York Voices Sing the Songs of Paul Simon, which allowed them to use a variety of styles to express new turns on the singer/songwriter's rich songbook. In 2001, New York Voices released their sixth CD entitled Sing, Sing, Sing. After many years of performing with the Count Basie Orchestra, the group wanted to address the great Big Band songbook and offer their own spin. With Darmon doing the lion's share of the vocal and big band arrangements, they hired the producing talents of Elliot Scheiner (Manhattan Transfer, Steely Dan, Fleetwood Mac) and guest big band arrangers Micheal Abene and Rob Mounsey.

2007 marked the release of their seventh studio CD, A Day Like This, which follows in their tradition of mixing things up: Brazilian influences, swinging trio numbers, a couple of Big Band romps, and a handful of original songs from the members, a particular strong suit for this multi-talented ensemble.

They have worked closely with the Boston Pops over the years, developing Holiday and Baby Boomer-themed programs. They perform these programs with many symphonies here and abroad, and also perform their symphonic Big Band/Swing show.

Along with their international and domestic traveling schedule, NYV has invested their energy quite heavily in the field of education, offering workshops to high school and college music students everywhere. They debuted their New York Voices Vocal Jazz Camp in the summer of 2009, partnering with Bowling Green State University in Ohio. The camp is attended by people from all walks of life, all ages, and all over the world.

Individually, the members are involved in a variety of projects including solo performances, recordings, teaching, writing, and arranging. To learn more, visit www.newyorkvoices.com.